Editors' Review

The bottom line: Microsoft Security Essentials, an antivirus program created by Microsoft, will protect you, and it will generally do it well. However, its impact on system performance could be improved, and it's still a bit light in the tool belt.

Review:

Now in its second iteration, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) debuted as the lightweight, cloud-based successor to the paid security suite Live OneCare in 2009. Version 2 introduces deeper hooks into Internet Explorer and the default firewall in Vista and Windows 7. Security Essentials has begun to mature, although it's still rough at the edges.

Installation

It takes very little effort to get going with MSE. Microsoft politely does not opt you in to the program's customer experience improvement program; you must choose to opt in or stay out of it before you can finish the installation. It also lets you choose whether to run the Windows Defender firewall, and whether to run a scan once installation is complete, although both of those are opt-out.

Overall, the installation time ran around 4 minutes on our test computer. That's not as blazing fast as some of the paid suites, which can complete installation in less than 60 seconds, but it is respectable for a free program.

Interface

MSE's interface adopts a different color scheme than the previous version, going for various shades of gray to replace the vibrant blue and white look. It doesn't pop as much, but it also looks far less like a Windows XP relic.

For those unfamiliar with the design, MSE has four tabs across the top. The Home tab contains your security status and scan options, and you can run a Quick Scan, Full Scan, or Custom Scan. A link at the bottom of the pane lets you change the scheduled scan.

Update is where you manually get new virus definition files and program upgrades, History logs only detected threats, and Settings is where you go for advanced tweaking. The program looks simple, but don't be deceived: there are quite a few advanced options in Settings--just not as many as many competitors offer. Security Essentials uses labels imported from OneCare: green for all good, yellow for warning, and red for an at-risk situation.

Features and support

Under the clean and uncluttered interface, Security Essentials wraps up antivirus and antispyware engines, rootkit protection, and real-time detection courtesy of Microsoft SpyNet, the unfortunately named cloud-based service that anonymously compares file behavior across computers running various Microsoft operating systems.

SpyNet was introduced in Windows Vista and extended to Windows 7, but Microsoft Security Essentials is the only way to access the network in Windows XP. Unlike other security vendors that allow customers to take advantage of the benefits of their behavioral detection engines while opting out of submitting information, there's no way to do that with SpyNet.

Well, it's mostly anonymous. You can choose between two SpyNet memberships. The basic membership submits to Microsoft the detected software's origins, your response to it, and whether that action was successful, and the advanced membership submits all that plus the location on your hard drive of the software in question, how it operates, and how it has affected your computer. Both basic and advanced versions warn users that personal data might be "accidentally" sent to Microsoft, although they promise to neither identify nor contact you. New in version 2 is the option to opt out of contributing to SpyNet while still receiving the benefits of crowd-sourced security.

Microsoft Security Essentials uses both definition-file and real-time defenses against viruses and spyware, and also offers rootkit protection. Along with the quick scan and the full scan, there's a Custom scan option that lets users select specific folders or drives to scan. It doesn't allow for customizing the type of scan used. For example, you're not going to be able to choose to scan only for rootkits or heuristics, as you can with other security programs. However, you can set USB keys and other external devices to automatically get scanned. The program installs a context-menu option for on-the-fly scanning in Windows Explorer, too.

The Update pane manages the definition file updates, with a large action button, and History provides access to a spreadsheet-style list of All detection items, your Quarantine, and items you've Allowed to run. Although it's a basic layout, this no-frills approach to security has proven appealing to people who are overwhelmed by more detailed security choices.

New in version 2 is integration with Internet Explorer so that downloads get scanned, and Windows firewall hooks so that your personal security net is tighter. For Windows 7 and Vista users, the Windows Filtering Platform that those two operating systems come with gets a boost from a new network inspection feature.

The Settings window allows you to further customize the program by scheduling scans, toggling default actions to take against threats, adjusting real-time protection settings, creating whitelists of excluded files, file types, and processes, and choosing from the aforementioned SpyNet options. There's also an Advanced option that is still fairly basic: here you can set Security Essentials to scan archives and removable drives, create a system restore point, and expand user rights to allow all users to view the History tab.

Security Essentials comes preconfigured to run a scan weekly at 2 a.m., when Microsoft thinks your system is likely to be idle. New malware signatures are downloaded once per day by default, although you can manually instigate a definition file update through the update tab. Attachments and downloaded files will be automatically scanned by Security Essentials.

Help is only available in the form of the standard offline Help manual that comes with all Microsoft programs. There's nothing fancy here.

MSE abandons the additional heft of a firewall, performance tuning, and backup and restore options to focus on core security. However, the new version does include a system restore option, to back up your computer before you remove any detected malware. Most of the changes in MSE are under the hood, but it's still a worthwhile program in terms of features, especially on lower-powered Netbooks.

Performance

Microsoft Security Essentials occupies a slightly different space than the rest of the security programs because it's the only one published by Microsoft, and, remarkably to some, it doesn't suck. Benchmarks by independent third-party efficacy testers and CNET Labs discovered that the program has uneven performance. (Read more on how CNET Labs benchmarks security software.)

Security program

Boot time

Shutdown time

Scan time

MS Office performance

iTunes decoding

Media multitasking

Cinebench

Unprotected system

42.5

11.28

n/a

917

180

780

4,795

Microsoft Security Essentials 2

54

18

1,560

1,038

201

800

4,790

*All tests measured in seconds, except for Cinebench. On the Cinebench test, the higher number is better.

AV-Test.org certified the oriiginal MSE during one test this year, and then refused to certify it during a test several months later. When tested on Windows 7 in the second quarter of 2010, MSE 1 earned certification with a 15 out of 18 score. It achieved 4 out of 6 in the Protection category, 4.5 out of 6 in Repair, and 5.5 out of 6 in Usability, where the minimum required for certification was 12. However, when tested on Windows XP in the third quarter of 2010, AV-Test.org did not pass MSE 1. The program earned 3 out of 6 in both Protection and Repair, and 5.5 out of 6 in Usability. Given the more advanced native security in Windows Vista and Windows 7, this could indicate that Microsoft's own security program is unsuitable for its older operating systems.

On the other hand, AV-Comparatives.org awarded MSE 1 an Advanced+ certification in November 2010 for its retrospective/proactive test, finding the program to have very few false positives.

Those results don't come cheaply, as far as system performance is concerned. CNET Labs' benchmarks put the new MSE at the far slower end of the scale, with a bigger impact on system performance in general than most other security options. System start-up was 11.5 seconds slower than on an unprotected PC, and system shutdown was more than 6 seconds slower whereas most suites affected the system by 2 to 4 seconds.

MSE 2's impact on the MS Office, iTunes decoding, media multitasking, and Cinebench tests was generally unimpressive. The program did very well in the Cinebench test, but in others its results were more middle-of-the-road.

Virus scan times were also slow compared with the competition. MSE 2 took 26 minutes to finish a full scan, and nearly 2 hours on a real-world computer. The 2-hour time is slow, although not the slowest out there. The first quick scan performed at installation took 4 minutes, which is a competitive time for that type of scan.

Conclusion

Security Essentials is basically a good set-it-and-forget-it security program, but if you want more options and better results from a lightweight security option, Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition 1.3 is the safer bet.

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Category

Publisher's Description

With Microsoft Security Essentials, you get high-quality protection against viruses and spyware, including Trojans, worms and other malicious software. Security Essentials is easy to install and easy to use. Updates and upgrades are automatic, so there's no need to worry about having the latest protection. It's easy to tell if you're protected - when the Security Essentials icon is green, your status is good. It's as simple as that.

When you're busy using your PC, you don't want to be bothered by needless alerts. Security Essentials runs quietly in the background, only alerting you if there's something you need to do. And it doesn't use a lot of system resources, so it won't get in the way of your work or fun.

Very few. As I said above, it's free. I have been used to Avast Internet Security Suite, an anti-virus/trojan/worm program with a strong, silent firewall, and my favorite addition, SafeZone, which allows you to bank or shop in a virtual environment undetectable by hackers. It also includes a router scanner which is an added bonus.

Cons

You get nothing but active, and on-demand, virus scanning, and I'm not even certain how well that is working.

It's free.
Used it with no problems for a couple of years befor they ended support for XP.

Cons

At the time M$ ended support for XP, they indicated they would no longer provide virus updates for XP users. Was that just to get us to upgrade the OS or what? (Did I miss something??)
No other major cons at this point.

Summary

They have a degree of accountability since they have a big name to protect.

It's free you can't arguee with that i had a client who i recommended this to them after they had spent so long paying for BT protection. MSE found 3 problems on their system and fixed them now with most free antivirus you get ads and things that come with it, not with Microsoft Security Essentials you don't. Out of programs i've seen MSE doesn't nag you to update or to renew your program. It's easy to use and configure a scan date and time. Because it's made by the same people that made Windows as you can expect it is light weight on space and resources runs in the background, you hardly know it's there. It's quick updates and turns on your Firewall. If you're not going to do anything to silly, then MSE is all you need.

Cons

It doesn't offer a Firewall, deep scan or any other security features, hardly any free ones offer these options. it's not 100% effective neither is any antivirus.

Summary

Overall Microsoft Security Essentials is a good product. If you don't want to get nagged with updates, if you want a free product that gives you basic Protection with no annoying Ads, one that makes it easy for you to use and configure. If you're not going to do anything to drastic online then choose MSE.

Matt, I agree with you about protection, as long as you stay away from dodgy sites. There isn't any web protection, but if you use Firefox, there is a Plug in called "Traffic Light" (made by Bitdefender) that protects you from landing on malicious web sites that can phish for personal data. Also, Security Essentials does have a deep scan. It is called full scan, and it examines all areas of your hard drive. It can take a long time to complete because of it's thoroughness of scanning. It has caught many trojans and viruses that other more well known Anti Virus programs missed. It is also very good at detecting script exploits. It's not very good at detecting adware or pups (possibly unwanted programs). But most of these are downloaded and installed by the user unknowingly. So user education would be in order here! Hope this info helps you and other satisfied users! Cheers!

Does not create a firewall where your LAN based printers stop working!
I waster 1 day in trying to fix AVG free protection and could not figure it out until I uninstalled their 2015 release! Then everything was fine. Microsoft Security essentials works, is fast and its FREE! Keep it going Microsoft! Job well done!

CANNOT BELIEVE IT HAS REMAINED FREE FOR SO LONG! MICROSOFT LACK OF GREED AMAZES ME IN THAT INSTANCE, THANK YOU & PLEASE, KEEP IT FOC AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK !!!
WORKS VERY WELL FOR ME SO FAR (I REPLACED NORTON 360 WITH IT)

Cons

CANT FIND A 'REAL' FLAW, COULD PERHAPS BE GEARED TO TURN OFF THE MACHINE?

No longer seems to provide the best security. I got hit by some small stuff it did not identify. Fortunately no serious trojans or the like. So I think it is no longer doing the job it did before.

Summary

A reasonable search showed that a lot of people are finding that MSE is no longer keeping up with the need. So the next question is go with what? The c*&p I got I used Malwaarebytes free to get rid of. Now of course it wants me to buy it - but is that the right choice? sigh.

Consistently ranked as the WORST AV software in effectiveness since 2012.
In Feb 2014 tests by AV-Test, an independent AV testing and evaluation organization:
Failed to detect 29% of zero-day attacks!!
Failed to detect 20% of known widespread and prevalent malware!!

Summary

M$ Security Essentials may have had a strong beginning in 2009, but M$ has been grossly negligent in maintaining it, particularly in updating its ability to detect, prevent and clean up viruses, Trojans and worms. Its performance sank so low two years ago in 2012 that AV-Test, an independent AV testing and evaluation organization, REVOKED and REMOVED its certification of MSE. It has yet to be restored in the two years since then, in spite of repeated testing by AV-Test.

MSE is the rock bottom worst AV software, paid or free, for WinXP, Vista or Win7. Note that MSE cannot be used in Win8. It was replaced by Windows Defender in Win8 (and Windows Defender only works in Window 8). Like MSE, it also ranks rock bottom among AV software. It's as bad if not worse than MSE.

There are substantially more effective FREE AV solutions. Among them are Avast!, Avira, and AVG. All three consistently rank in the upper tier among free and paid AV software for effectiveness.

-very poor detections/protection as testified by all independent testing laboratories (it is now only used as a bottom baseline to order all the better detectors/protectors).
-not supported on windows xp (figure that out, all the other private antivirus companies support xp, but microsoft doesn't support its own operating system.
-not for other os (mac or linux)

Summary

there is far better freeware out there.

Updated on Nov 29, 2014

they recently did good in a behavioral detection study. i was pleasantly surprised.

i'm not a novice, or a reckless internet user, this didn't protect from viruses, trojans, worms, etc. sorry MS fanboys/girls, this just does not cut it. there are better free antivirus out there, like avira, avast, malwarebytes, etc.

Summary

i'm back to paying for norton 360, my pc is worth paying for real protection.

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